Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown has been accused of domestic violence by his son's mother, Diorra Marzette-Sanders, in a lawsuit filed in Alameda County on Tuesday.
Pro Football Talk obtained a copy of the lawsuit, filed in a California civil court, in which Marzette-Sanders accuses Brown of slapping her "across the face, leaving her mouth bloody and her face bruised," and that he has "bruised, bloodied and battered" her multiple times. Marzette-Sanders also accuses Brown of threatening her by saying he'd "shoot yo a-- in the fu--ing head" when she wanted to leave with their son.
The lawsuit further cites three incidents this year as evidence of the abuse. In March, Brown “grabbed her face and covered her mouth while choking her out until she couldn’t breathe,” leaving “a ring of bruises around her neck," according to the suit. One month later, Brown “grabbed the Plaintiff’s arm, took her into a room, locked the door, slapped her across the face and punched her in the ribs” while they were vacationing in Hawaii, Marzette-Sanders alleges.
In June, police in Bastrop County, Texas, were called and a report was filed after Brown allegedly slapped Marzette-Sanders in the face. Charges were never filed. According to the lawsuit, Brown terminated his relationship with Marzette-Sanders at that time. The lawsuit also alleges that Brown and Marzette-Sanders were engaged in a "non-marital partnership agreement," an oral and implied pact that they would be together for life. They have a son together, and the suit alleges that Brown committed to supporting Marzette-Sanders and their offspring for life. In addition to alleged domestic violence, Brown is accused of violating that non-marital agreement.
The NFL is aware of the suit, and a league spokesman said the NFL will "review the matter."
According to the 2019 NFL personal conduct policy, the league investigates possible violations even when charges are not filed and a player is not charged with a crime: "Whenever the league office becomes aware of a possible violation of the Personal Conduct Policy, it will undertake an investigation, the timing and scope of which will be based upon the particular circumstances of the matter," the policy reads. "Any such investigation may be conducted by league office personnel, independent parties, or by a combination of the two."
The Raiders signed Brown to a record-setting four-year, $66 million contract this past offseason.